Improvement in clocks



einen i (sono @stent Qtllllre JOHN B. MAYER, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. $2,266, dated September 15, 1868; reissue No. 3,606, dated Angl/ust 17, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN CLOCKS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the sazne.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section in the plane indicated by the linex z, tiff. 2. The nature of this invcntion relates to an improvelent in the construction of clnonometcrs, regulators, town and common clocks, watches, and other timepicccs, by which the same may lbe operated with less power, but greater accuracy and prccisio, and at the same time will be cheaper of construction than any now manufactured and in use.

Letters of like name andl kind refer to like parts ineach of the rieures.

Though the improvements herein described are equally applicable to time-pieces of every variety and description, I have represented in the accompanying drawings, as a specimen, an eight-day clock, indicating seconds, minutes, hours, and'days, by hands revolving upon a common centre; and in describing the same, I

shall confine myself chieiiy to the particular parts which constitute my improvements'.

A represents a spur-wheel, supported loosely upon a central or main shaft, B. having bearings in the trame-plates C C.

To this main shaft is attached the moving-power of thc clock, in this instance a weight upon thc end of a cord wound around a Idrum, which is, in the usual manner, provided with ratchet-wheel and spiing-pawl or click, for its proper co1 uicction with the wheel A.

The wheel A is provided with three hundred and sixty (360) teeth or cogs, and makes one revolution every hour, on whichv account, and because the minntediand 'may be attached toits shaft, I call this wheel the minute-wheel?? D represents the escape-wheel, which is supported upon the shaft d', and revolved by means of the pinion E, which has six (6) loaves, and gears with the wheel A. Hence, as thc-wheel A makes one revolution per hour', thc whecl'D must inakesixty revolutions per hour, or one per minute, and theretbre alhand attached to its shalt will indicate seconds. i

The escape -whecl has thirty teeth, so that cach movement of the pendulum in either direction causes the second-hand to indicate one second upon the liarplate.

These two wheels, A and D, and the pinion hatakc the placeof and fully answer the same purpose as tile train of live wheels and four pinions, which compn'ses the running-gearof clocks. of ordinary construction.

The advantages gained by this improvement will be hereinafter set forth.

One cud of' the shaft B projects beyond the face of thc clock, `and is squared, so as to' fit a key for winding up the clock in a common manner.

F, F', G, and G' represent four spur-wheels, which,

by prefercncc,I nia-ke of equal size, and each withthe same number ol" teeth,V but thc number of these spur- ,whecls, as well as their diameter and number of teeth,

may he varied at pleasure, so long as the same result is thereby attained, that of communicating the precise movement of the shalt B to the placewhem the niiunte-hand is to be attached, in this instance, to a cylinder or hollow sleeve upon the shaft d'.

The wheel F is loose upon the shaft B,Vbut is re- `volved with the same by friction, a flat spring, s, fig.

4, which is made fast to the shaft, being interposed I ,between the wheel F and a shoulder upon the shaft.

A pawl, h, is hinged to the frzme-pate, its free end resting lightly, by its own, gravitation, or by a spring,.

if necessary, upon the circumference of the wheel F; and engaging with the teeth thereof, insuch manner, that whenever the shaft B is turned in direction op posite to the forward movement of the clock-work, the" wheel F,..(and with it whole running-gear connected therewitll,)'remaius stationary. Hence, the

:clock may beV wound up without the hands being carv ried backward. A mtchetf'whecl maybe used independent or in the place of the wheel F, without departing fromthe prillciple of this part of my improvement,

The .hour-hand is fastened to a larger cylinder or` sleeve, lit-tin g over and revolving independently' around the first, and is revolved by means of a spur-wheel, I, gearing with a pinionconnected to the wheel G.

' rI he hand which indicates the days of the month is shown `at j, and operatedy by means of the ratchetwheels k and l, therezvolvingl tooth l', and a pin, fi, fig. 3, upon thcsidc of the wheel G, engagingonce during levery revolution of that wheel with the ratchet-wheel l, the movements of all these parts being regulated and controlled by the actionof the springs m andm'.

.pinio1'1,la.nd the number of spindles to only two, the friction of the 4teeth of the wheels and the spindles in their bea-rings must be reduced in a like proportion;

` hence, the Weight required for setting the saine in motion, will be less than now used-an important desid eratum for town and other large clocks.

Second, the chief cause of a. clocks gaining or losin, time, viz, the accumulationlof dust in the bearings of tbevspindles, is almost entirely obviated on aceonntof there being but two spindles, (B and d,) to keep clean -and free from dust or other obstructions, instead of four or ii've.

Third, with the aid of the machinery now used'by4 manufacturers of clocks and othelvtime-pieces, a spur-e' wheel can be stamped or cut out almost instantly, with-s ont regard to its size or nulnt er of teeth; hence, the ,important advantage of this clock overall others, ris its cheapness of construction, on account of the reduction in the number ot' wheels, piuions, and spindles.

WhatI` claim as my invention, and desire to secure, by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination and arrangement of `the wheel A, pinion E, and cseapemcnt-wheel D, the' parts having the characteristics, and operating together in the manner described, and for the purpose setforth.

2. Thecombination and arrangement of wheel A, pinion E, and escapement-whcel l), with the hour and minute hands upon the axis of said eseapenieut-wheel, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with vwheel A, pinion E, andescapenlent-wheel D, of the ratchet-wheels k l, revolving-tooth', piu i, and wheel G, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The shaft B, carrying theloose wheel F, frictionspring s, wheel A, and winding-drinn, in connection with pawl h, arranged and combined to prevent the carrying lback of thc hands during the winding of the clock, as set forth. I

The above signed by in o, this 13th day of March, 1869.

J. B. MAYBE. l Witnesses:

H. N. GRIFFITH, SAMUEL Toiurxrns. 

